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MLS Atlanta United FC

Atlanta United Exercises Transfer Option on Xande Silva

December 4, 2023 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Atlanta United FC News Release


ATLANTA - Atlanta United today announced it has exercised the transfer option on Xande Silva from French side Dijon and signed the winger to a contract through the 2025 season with an option for 2026. Silva will occupy an international roster slot pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.

Silva will be available to media members today at 11 a.m. via Zoom. Join Zoom call HERE. Passcode: 013983

"We're excited to bring Xande back on a permanent transfer and look forward to him building off of his performances during the final stretch of the season," Atlanta United Vice President and Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra said. "He is a dynamic attacker who likes to take defenders on and can contribute goals and assists."

Joining the club on loan during the 2023 summer transfer window, Silva quickly featured in Gonzalo Pineda's starting eleven and made his first MLS start in a 2-0 win at Seattle on Aug. 20. He scored his first MLS goal in his next appearance, a 4-0 win against Nashville, and went on to record two goals and three assists in 641 total minutes, starting eight of his 10 MLS regular season appearances. The winger scored two more goals during the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, starting all three matches of Atlanta's Round One series against Columbus Crew.

Prior to joining Atlanta, the 26-year-old made 172 career professional appearances across Europe and recorded 25 goals and nine assists. Born in Porto, Portugal, Silva began his career at FC Alverca and later spent time in the youth systems at Belenenses, Sporting Club de Portugal and Vitória Guimarães. He made 50 appearances and scored four goals with Vitória Guimarães B before joining the club's first team, making his debut in Portugal's top flight on May 17, 2015 against Benfica. He would go on to score one goal in 31 appearances before transferring to West Ham United in August of 2018.

At West Ham, Silva made 13 appearances with the club's U-21 side, recording 10 goals and two assists, and made his English Premier League debut on Dec. 30, 2018 against Burnley. Silva then went on loan to Aris Thessaloniki in Greece's first division where he tallied four goals and three assists in 33 appearances across all competitions. In August of 2021, the winger transferred to Nottingham Forest and went on to record an assist in 10 appearances. In August of 2022, Silva made the move to Dijon in the French second division where he made 32 league appearances and tallied six goals and three assists.

On the international stage, Silva represented Portugal from the U-15 to U-20 level, totaling 65 appearances and 19 goals.

Player Profile

Name: Alexandre Nascimento da Costa e Silva

Pronunciation: Shahn-day Silva

Position: Winger/forward

Height: 5-10

Birthdate: March 16, 1997 (26)

Birthplace: Porto, Portugal

Citizenship: Portugal

Transaction: Atlanta United signs Xande Silva from Dijon through the 2025 season with an option for 2026 on Dec. 4, 2023, pending the receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P-1 Visa.

Atlanta United roster (as of Dec. 4, 2023)

Goalkeepers (1): Brad Guzan

Defenders (7): Luis Abram, Noah Cobb, Ronald Hernández, Brooks Lennon, Aiden McFadden, Efraín Morales, Caleb Wiley

Midfielders (11): Thiago Almada, Derrick Etienne Jr., Nick Firmino*, Ajani Fortune, Franco Ibarra, Saba Lobjanidze, Edwin Mosquera, Tristan Muyumba, Santiago Sosa, Adyn Torres*, Tyler Wolff

Forwards (5): Luke Brennan*, Erik Centeno, Giorgos Giakoumakis, Xande Silva, Jamal Thiaré

*Player will join Atlanta United effective Jan. 1, 2024

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